Chu
by PyrrhicVictories
Summary: Inspired by the 101 Kisses challenge at LJ. Yami, Yuugi, flowers, and language confusion. Shonenai. Fluffy!


Title: Chu

Warnings: Shonen-ai (that's boy x boy, for those not in the know), fluff!...that's all, i think.

Disclaimer: As much as I heart these pretty boys, I don't own them. sigh

A/N: This particular little thing was inspired by the "101 Kisses" challenge at LJ. I actually intend to enter the challenge, but as I'm not really keen on the LJ format, it may take me a while. That being said, the challenge this is based on is "chrysanthemums".

Some background- in Japanese (and Chinese), mums are _Chu.__Chu_ is also the Japanese onomatopoeia for a kissing sound. It's often used in the place of making "kissy noises" at someone. Mums are among the few flowers to really blossom best in autumn, so they're often seen as a sign of the approaching cold months. Now, on with the show!

(c)(h)(u) (c)(h)(u) (c)(h)(u)

"I'm home!"

Yami slipped a bookmark into his book and turned toward the door. Yuugi's return home had become his favorite time of day. Everything seemed better, more interesting, when the the smaller boy was around. He looked up at the little one standing in the doorway. The golden Autumn light streamed in through the door and over Yuugi, catching his hair, lighting up his pale skin, making his eyes shine like amethysts. '_Beautiful_.' Yami stared, an odd, sad almost-smile crossing his lips. '_That's enough of that,_' he told himself, giving himself a mental shake and moving to help the other boy remove his jacket.

"what have you got there?" Yuugi was clutching a paper-wrapped bundle, a grin on his face. "_Chu_," he responded, trotting off towards the kitchen. He laid the bundle on the table and began to hunt through the cabinets for something. Yami followed, settling into a kitchen chair with a bemused expression on his face. "A girl on the corner was selling them. She had a whole basket full!" Yuugi continued, standing on tiptoe to retrieve a vase from a high shelf. He deposited it next to the bundle, and turned to rummage through a cupboard, emerging with two more vases.

"_Chu_?" Yami sorted through his memory, trying to come up with the meaning. Though he had learned a great deal about this world, even more so since he was granted his own body, there were still many things he had no knowledge of. He knitted his brows in thought, a vague recollection coming to him – a gaggle of high school girls, giggling and whispering, watching from the corners of their eyes as he walked by. He had heard that word murmured among the many giggles, but it still made no sense. Wordlessly, he sent his quandary through the mindlink that he and Yuugi shared.

The little one smiled, getting a mental picture of the other's confusion. " I see." He giggled a bit. "That word has two different meanings." Yuugi turned, gazing affectionately at the taller boy. "This _chu_ is a flower. A crys-crysanthemum," he explained, pronouncing the unfamiliar English word carefully. He selected a flower from the bundle and held it up to the light. It was a pale cream color, with a multitude of small petals. "It's one of the only flowers to bloom in Autumn, when all of the other flowers have died." He paused, looking at the blossom in his hand. "They look so delicate, but they'yre the only ones strong enough to withstand the cold and the wind of the season. I don't know why, but that's always seemed to make them more precious to me." He sighed, turning back to his arrangement.

_'They_'_re just like you, little one,' _Yami thought, watching the other as he tucked flowers in the various vases. Yuugi certainly looked delicate, but Yami had always known that an inner core of strength existed within the small frame. It was one of the things that he admired, that he loved, about the boy. And these flowers did seem to fit the smaller one well – delicate, strong, precious. All words that he thought would easily apply to the one in front of him. And beautiful – '_Too beautiful for the likes of me.' _Yami sighed softly. Turning his attention again to the table full of flowers, a sudden thought brought him from his musing.

"Hikari,what is the other meaning of that word?"

"The other meaning?" Yuugi hadn't turned from his flowers, but Yami could see mottled red creeping around the other boy's neck and ears. "The other _chu_, is...is a kiss." He spun around quickly, a flower in each hand and a ruddy blush painting his cheeks. Shyly, Yuugi approached the taller boy, sidling up to his chair until they were nearly nose to nose. Yami shivered at this closeness, gripping the back of the chair to avoid pulling the boy closer. Eyes lowered, Yuugi proffered one of the flowers, murmuring, "Do you want one?"

Before the startled darkness could respond, he felt a sweet pressure on his lips - the softest kiss he could imagine. As he blinked in shock, gentle fingers wove a flower into his hair, and the lightest of whispers ghosted against his ear- "_Chu." _The little light gave a gentle laugh, and trotted out of the room, leaving behind an ancient spirit with a chrysanthemum behind his ear, and, for the first time in a very long time, a genuine smile on still-tingling lips.

(c)(h)(u) (c)(h)(u) (c)(h)(u)

Hmm, that was harder than I thought it would be! I went through 2 liters of Coke and 6 manga breaks (if you're a fan of Star Ocean III, look up the manga scan, it's lovely) in my attempt to finish this. But as I think I actually got the feeling I was trying for in this, it's worth it. And am I the only one who thinks that seeing Japanese Yuugi attempting to pronounce a word in English like "chrysanthemum" would be too cute? I just had to add that.

Oh yes, and the flower girl? Just a little nod to one of my favorite games . In any event, let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!

-Pyr


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